Lighter

ABSTRACT

Sorption means are placed in position in a container for lighter fluid and/or in a conduit of the container so as to make contact with at least a portion of the fluid to remove therefrom fats and oils.

Umted States Patent 1191 1111 3,859,037

Mohr 1 1 Jan. 7, 1975 1 LIGHTER [56] References Cited [75] lnventor:Walter Mohr, Frankfurt/Main, UNITED STATES PATENTS Germany 2,608,2698/1952 Briggs...l 55/387 2,679,140 5/1954 Burchett (12/48 [73] g g z fig 2,737,037 3/1956 Zcllweger 431/344 many 3252,270 5/1966 Pall 01 111SS/DIG. 17 [22 i Feb. 2 1973 3,663.152 5/1972 Yoshidu 431/344 [21] Appl'335840 Primary Examiner-Kenneth W. Sprague Assistant Examiner-Larry I.Schwartz [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Attorney, Agent, orFirm-Ernest F. Marmorek Mar. 1, 1972 Germany 2209683 [57] ABSTRACT [52]US. Cl 431/344, 62/48, 55/387, sorption means are placed in position ina com-diner 222/l89 for lighter fluid and/or in a conduit of thecontainer so [51] Int. Cl. F23d 13/04 as to make Contact with at least aportion f the fl id [58] Field of Search 62/48, 474; 222/189; to removetherefmm f t and Oils 15 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN 7|975LIGHTER CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENTS &

APPLICATIONS Reference is had to the following US. Pat. Nos.: 3,712,788;3,602,622; 3,533,719; 3,610,793; 3,458,765.

Reference is had to the following copending patent applications assignedto the assignee of record of the instant application: Ser. No. 22,954,filed Feb. 2, 1972 entitled Magnetic Ignitor in the name of H.Schindler; Ser. No. 113,914, flled Feb. 9, 1971 entitled Lighter WithMounted lgnitor in the name of H. Schindler, et al.; Ser. No. 171,306,filed Aug. 12, 1971 in the name of H. Ross; Ser. No. 23,842, filed Mar.30, 1970 entitled Pocket Lighter in the name of C. Cobarg; Ser. No. 102,218, filed Dec. 28, 1970 entitled Cigarette Lighter in the name of C.Cobarg, et al.;

and Ser. No. 220,817, filed .Ian. 26, 1972 entitled Magnetic Ignitor inthe name of H. Schindler.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to cleansing lighterfuel and is more particularly concerned with the removal of fats andoils from the lighter fluid. Fats and oils in, for example, themagneto-electrically ignited gas lighter can cause a detrimentalcontamination of the burner valve and electrodes of the lighter.

Cleanliness of the burner valve and the electrodes plays a decisive rolethroughout the life of the lighter in ensuring its ignition reliability.Contamination of the burner valve by the penetration of fatty and oilyimpurities in the gas anc lead to obstruction of the gas channels in theburner valve. Moreover, these impurities in the gas do not necessarilyremain in the gas channels of the burner valve but can be carried alongin the gas stream issuing through the burner valve and then be depositedon the electrodes which project into the gas stream or the gas flame.The deposition of the impurities on the electrodes can eventually resultin the formation of a continuously increasing resistance at the ends ofthe electrodes and thereby degrade the reliable production of theigniting spark.

Rings of elastomeric material are inserted for sealing purposesin theburner valve, and the tiller valve of the lighter. In addition, therings are used in the replenishment valve of a refill container. Thematerial of the sealing rings is selected to be resistant to thecombustion gas but is usually not resistant to oils or fats which may bepresent in the lighter container or refill container. The oils and fatsmay attack the sealing rings and thereby reduce the effectiveness of thesealing by the rings.

Generally, the oils and fats are principally the residues of thematerials used as mould release agents or drawing oils during themanufacture of a lighter container or of a refill container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION One of the principal objects of the inventionis to provide for the removal of fats and oils from the lighter fluid.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inpart in the following specification and in part will be obvioustherefrom without being specifically referred to, the same beingrealized and attained as pointed out in the claims hereof.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in partappear hereinafter. The devise invention accordingly comprises featuresof construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts whichwill be exemplified in a construction hereinafter set forth and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

The method invention accordingly comprises the several steps and therelationship of one or more of such steps with respect to each of theothers, allas exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and thescope of the application of which will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS With a fuller understanding of thenature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to thefollowing detailed description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a lighter;

FIG. 2 is a large scale longitudinal section of a burner valveprojecting into a container of another lighter; and

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section through a refill container having areplenishment valve.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Generally, sorption means areplaced in position in a container for lighter fluid and/or in a conduitof the container so as to make contact with at least a portion of thefluid to remove dirt from fats and oils. The term sorptionmeans,includes both chemical and physical sorption means. The sorptionmeans may be activated carbon, hydrated silica, finely provided silicasuch as kieselguhr or a naturally occurring absorbent silicate such asbentonite or montmorillonite. Other suitable materials for the sorptionmeans are well known to people in the art.

It is convenient to incorporate the sorption means into a functionalpart of a lighter. For example, the prevaporiser and the burner valve ofthe lighter may be formed from the sorption means. Or, the flame heightstabiliser may be formed from the sorption means.

A volumetrically small quantity of the sorption means can not only bindthe impurities in the lighter container produced during its manufacture,but it is also able to absorb any impurities which are introduced intothe lighter container upon refilling thereof.

It is advantageous to include sorption means in the refill containerused to replenish the lighter container so that at least some of thefats and oils from the lighter fluid are removed before the lighter fuelenters the lighter. In the case of a lighter having a wet valve, anadditional advantage is obtained by replacing the normal flame heightstabilizer consisting of, for example, a foam material, felt or a wickby a flame height stabilizer which includes the sorption means and agas-permeable material surrounding the sorption means.

An advantage is obtained by locating the sorption means and a conduitprovided in the burner valve above the burner valve regulation meansformed by the regulator, wick, height, and regulating washer as thesorption means acts as a prevaporiser in addition to its removalfunction, so that uninterrupted vaporisation of the lighter fluid isensured. The lighter shown in FIG.

1 includes a casing and operating element 2 connected to a torsion rodwhich engages the leaf spring 4 of a magneto-electric igniter 3, and acontainer or a container member such as reservoir 5 for storing thelighter fluid. The reservoir 5 is provided with a filler valve locatedimmediately above the bottom 6 of the reservoir 5. A burner valve 7 openunder the pressure of a spring 8 acting on a valve lifter 9, after aguide element 10, which is connected to the valve lifter 9, has beenreleased by manual operation of the operating element 2. The fillervalve 11 and burner valve Tare arranged so that an absorption means 12,which is surrounded by a gas-permeable material, can be placed in thereservoir 5 in the space formed by the tiller valve 11 and the burnervalve 7, the bottom 6, and the case 1. The absorption means 12 may beactivated carbon or the like for removing fatty and oily impurities fromthe lighter fluid which comes in contact therewith.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of,;-t'-he invention in which a burnervalve is secured in a bore 52 in a reservoir housing 51. The burnervalve includes a cap 53 which has a screw-threaded engagement in thebore 52 and which has a flange which bears against aseal contained in agroove in the housing. A discharge conduit member such as dischargeconduit 55 is present in the closure cap 53. At the container orreservoir end of the 92 in the valve element 90 and the bores 93 in thenozzle 81 are closed by the seal 91. If the nozzle 81 is moved againstthe pressure of the spring 89, the bores 92 and 93 are displaced fromthe seal so that the lighter fluid can pass out from a container member87 of the refill container to the channels provided therein. A suitablematerial for the removal of fats and oils from the lighter fluid such assorption means 95 is located in OPERATION Generally, the operation ofthe above described embodiments of the invention is as follows: thecleansing discharge conduit 55, a threaded bore portion 56 is providedinto which is screwed a regulator 57. Among other things, the regulator57 results in an annular shoulder 58 of the discharge conduit 55 to bearagainst the closure cap 53. Two openings 59 and 60 disposed opposite oneanother are provided in the discharge conduit 55 above the regulator 57with a wick 74 passing through them. The wick 74 is pressed by theregulator 57 to a greater or lesser extent against a disc 62 of hideprovided underneath a regulating washer 61, so that restriction of thequantity of lighter fluid passing through the opening in the washer isachieved.

The discharge conduit 55 contains a valve passage 63 which is normallykept closed by a valve element 65 under the pressure of a spring 64,with the interposition of a seal'66.

The valve element 65 is provided'with an axial bore 67'into which open aradial bore 68 so that, when valve passage 63 is open, lighter fuel canpass out of the reservoir via a chamber 69 through valve element 65. Aspring 64 acts, on the one hand, on the valve element 65 and, on theother hand, through a washer 70 and a seal 71 on the closure cap 53. Achamber 72 of discharge conduit 55 between the valve passage 63 and theregulating washer 61 is filled with sorption means 73 such as activatedcarbon, hydrated silica, kiesilguhr or a naturally occurring absorbentsilicate such as bentonite or montmorillonite.

FIG. 3 shows an upper portion of a refill container having the casing80, a nozzle 81 and a cap 82. A recess 83, in which the filler valveassembly is arranged, is formed in the central part of the cap 82. Thefiller valve assembly includes a discharge conduit member such asdischarge conduit 83 divided into two chambers 85 and 86. The chamber 85communicates with the interior 87 of the refill container by one or morebores 94, and with the chamber 86 by one or more bores 88.

In chamber 86, there is arranged a spring 89 which acts on the endportion of the nozzle 81 which end portion constitutes a valve element90 which is pressed against a seal 91 provided in the recess 83, so thatbores of lighter fluid is obtained by placing at least a portion of thefluid in contact with sorption means located in a discharge conduitmember and/or a container member of a device.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to theexact details of construction shown and described, for obviousmodifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desired tobe secured by Letters Patent, is as follows:

1. In a lighter device including burner valve means and electrode means,means for storing and discharging lighter fluid, having a container forstoring the fluid and a discharge conduit for the discharge of the fluidfrom the container,

in combination,

sorption means for the removal by binding of fats and oils from thefluid being in communication with the fluid for contact with at least aportion of the fluid, thereby preventing detrimental contamination ofsaid burner valve means and said electrode means.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sorption means islocated within said container.

3. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sorption means is ingranular form.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sorption meansincludes a jacket of a gas-permeable material.

5. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sorption means isselected from the group consisting of activated carbon, hydrated silica,kieselguhr, and naturally occurring absorbent silicates.

6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a lighter andsaid sorption means is located within said discharge conduit.

7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein said discharge conduitforms a part of a burner valve of said lighter.

8. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said sorption means is inthe form of a prevaporiser for said burner valve.

9. The device as claimed in claim 7, wherein said sorption means is inthe form of a flame height stabilizer.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device is a refillcontainer and said sorption means is located within said dischargeconduit.

11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the discharge conduit isdivided into two chambers, one of which contains said sorption means andthe other of which contains a spring-loaded valve closure element.

12. A method of cleansing lighter fluid in a device including valvemeans, and a container member for storing the fluid and a dischargeconduit member for the discharge of the fluid from the container member,

located in said discharge conduit member.

I J NI TED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,859,037 Dated January 7, 1975 Inventor( Walter Mohr It is certifiedthat error appears in the above-identified patent and that said LettersPatent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 2, line 1, change "1" to l5.

Claim 3, line 1, change "1'' to l5.

Claim 4, line 1, change "1'' to l5.

Claim 5, line 1, change "1" to l5.

Claim 6, line 1, change "1" to l5.

Claim 10, line 1, change "1'' to l5.

Add Claim l5:

15. In a device for storing and discharging lighter fluid, having acontainer for storing the fluid and a discharge conduit for thedischarge of the fluid from the container,

including valve means,

in combination,

sorption means for the removal by binding of fats and oils from thefluid being in communication with the fluid for contact with at least aportion of the fluid, thereby preventing detrimental contamination ofsaid valve means.

Signed and sealed this 24th day of June 3.975.

SEAL) ttest: A C. ZLQRSZKALL Dan I D RUTZ? C. MASON Comm; 551 oner of latents Attesting Officer and Trademarks FORM PO-10 0 (1 uscoMM-Dc60376-F'69 US GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE I959 O-366-334

1. In a lighter device including burner valve means and electrode means,means for storing and discharging lighter fluid, having a container forstoring the fluid and a discharge conduit for the discharge of the fluidfrom the container, in combination, sorption means for the removal bybinding of fats and oils from the fluid being in communication with thefluid for contact with at least a portion of the fluid, therebypreventing detrimental contamination of said burner valve means and saidelectrode means.
 2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein saidsorption means is located within said container.
 3. The device asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said sorption means is in granular form. 4.The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said sorption means includes ajacket of a gas-permeable material.
 5. The device as claimed in claim 1,wherein said sorption means is selected from the group consisting ofactivated carbon, hydrated silica, kieselguhr, and naturally occurringabsorbent silicates.
 6. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein thedevice is a lighter and said sorption means is located within saiddischarge conduit.
 7. The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein saiddischarge conduit forms a part of a burner valve of said lighter.
 8. Thedevice as claimed in claim 7, wherein said sorption means is in the formof a prevaporiser for said burner valve.
 9. The device as claimed inclaim 7, wherein said sorption means is in the form of a flame heightstabilizer.
 10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device isa refill container and said sorption means is located within saiddischarge conduit.
 11. The device as claimed in claim 10, wherein thedischarge conduit is divided into two chambers, one of which containssaid sorption means and the other of which contains a spring-loadedvalve closure element.
 12. A method of cleansing lighter fluid in adevice including valve means, and a container member for storing thefluid and a discharge conduit member for the discharge of the fluid fromthe container member, the step comprising placing at least a portion ofthe fluid in contact with sorption means for the removal by binding offats and oils from the fluid portion by locating said sorption means inat least one of said members, thereby preventing detrimentalcontamination of said valve means.
 13. The method as claimed in claim12, wherein the device is a lighter and said sorption means is locatedin said discharge conduit member.
 14. The method as claimed in claim 12,wherein the device is a refill container and said sorption means islocated in said discharge conduit member.